Dining Plan Speculation

[ellbell]

I buy it because it's easier to prepay. A friend that I travel with would constantly buy the lowest price menu item instead of what she really wants if we didn't have the dining plan. She's just like that. If she sees the money being spent she will not want to spend it but if it's "included" in the price of the vacation she's fine with it.

 

[leannak]

We loved the dining plan when we brought the grandparents along and paid their way. We knew they would be upset by the crazy prices and only drink tap water and order the cheapest things on the menu. This gave them the freedom (or incentive?!) to order expensive, fun, and interesting things they'd otherwise never try. It was so much fun watching them order. "It's all included!!" we'd tell them. : ) And grandpa got to enjoy cocktails without grandma getting upset and she had a fun time with some fun fruity drinks herself.

 

[Microcell]

Murphy’s law dictates that it will come back because I am a free dining junky and since it didn’t look likely I went ahead and committed to rent DVC this fall. You are all welcome!

 

[vgd07]

Murphy’s law dictates that it will come back because I am a free dining junky and since it didn’t look likely I went ahead and committed to rent DVC this fall. You are all welcome!

Ain't that the truth––we thank you for your service. Also rented DVC this fall, but hoping to add it paid.

 

[Microcell]

Ain't that the truth––we thank you for your service. Also rented DVC this fall, but hoping to add it paid.

I may do that also.. it gets expensive with 5 big eaters doing everything out of pocket. If you follow football at all I am also the reason Tampa Bay won the Superbowl. I let down all of Kansas City by watching.

 

[CarolynFH]

Murphy’s law dictates that it will come back because I am a free dining junky and since it didn’t look likely I went ahead and committed to rent DVC this fall. You are all welcome!

Before COVID-19: You can get the dining plan with a DVC rental. The owner has to buy it for you and pay in full, no later than 48 hours before check-in. Everyone on the reservation has to get the dining plan. You can buy a gift card with sufficient amount on it and give the numbers to the DVC owner to pay for the plan instead of giving them a credit card number.

 

[Microcell]

Before COVID-19: You can get the dining plan with a DVC rental. The owner has to buy it for you and pay in full, no later than 48 hours before check-in. Everyone on the reservation has to get the dining plan. You can buy a gift card with sufficient amount on it and give the numbers to the DVC owner to pay for the plan instead of giving them a credit card number.

The DVC owner who I am renting with are Venmo fans but that is a good idea! I know I can buy but we are going this year in what was in the past "Free Dining" times. LOL So with my luck it will not only be Dining Plan but Free Dining!

 

[ford91exploder]

I disagree with that. I think the dining plan is a huge moneymaker for Disney. I think most people who used the dining plan didn’t get monetary value out of it. It also allows Disney to pack most of their restaurants. If people have to pay out of pocket for food, they’re likely going to find cheaper options.

Agreed too profitable for Disney, and Guest not having to concern themselves over food budget just makes for an unbeatable combination. Almost as good a pair as PB&J or catsup and fries, almost

 

[Wdwfan2016]

I don't see the Disney dining plan returning until 2022 at the earliest.

 

[HikingFam]

As hard as it is to get dining reservations right now, we would need to see some major increase in restaurant openings and capacity before this will happen, IMO. Disney knows they can’t sell dining plans to people who will have trouble getting ADRs to redeem their credits.

 

[DebbieB]

I could see the quick service plan come back first. They have capacity at the quick service locations. If people bought the table service plan and couldn’t get reservations, it would be a mess.

 

[coolbrook]

Before the closure wasn't there supposed to be a new dining plan option with two table service meals a day instead of three? I can't remember if that was just a rumor.

 

[npatellye]

Before the closure wasn't there supposed to be a new dining plan option with two table service meals a day instead of three? I can't remember if that was just a rumor.

Yes, I think it was a plan that offered two meals a day that could be table service or quick service. I can’t remember what it was called, though.

 

[preemiemama]

Before the closure wasn't there supposed to be a new dining plan option with two table service meals a day instead of three? I can't remember if that was just a rumor.

Yes, I think it was a plan that offered two meals a day that could be table service or quick service. I can’t remember what it was called, though.

It was the DDP Plus- all 4 plans are still showing on the WDW site. Sunday I had seen a page with the prices still listed, but I cannot get back to it again.
ETA: Found it on the DVC Member Dashboard under the pre-arrival checklist. 2020 prices, obviously.

 

[AdamsMum]

I disagree with that. I think the dining plan is a huge moneymaker for Disney. I think most people who used the dining plan didn’t get monetary value out of it. It also allows Disney to pack most of their restaurants. If people have to pay out of pocket for food, they’re likely going to find cheaper options.

Let's be honest, disney restaurant prices are seriously inflated. Even if you're choosing the most expensive option, you'd never pay those prices if you were eating in an off site restaurant. The dining plan let's you believe you're getting a great deal. I agree it wouldn't have lasted this long if it wasn't a money maker. I'm hoping it returns, I like the convenience of using snack credits for those food booths. I'd never fork over the cash for some of those snacks.

 

[chasgeese]

I think a lot of people on these boards knew how to work the DP to get maximum value, but I'm not sure the average guest did. And it was REALLY hard to break even or save money, even with a lot of thought and effort. For that reason I think it was a huge money maker for Disney and is very likely to return. Just my 2 cents

I agree, the vast majority of people who get the DDP end up losing money vs. paying out of pocket (in many cases, even Free Dining doesn’t always save money compared to a room-only discount depending on resort and party size). Disney makes a ton of money off DDP alone and even more by keeping people on-site longer. They were always going to bring it back as soon as they found it feasible. While there are always going to be guests who can beat the system or for whom the DDP matches what they would have done already without it, that’s not the case for most people.

 

[havoc315]

I really think the dining plan will go away. If not it will be substantially altered. Disney knows it has created a monster with the old plan. People spent so much effort maximizing the value of their plan that its not worth it for Disney.

Watch for them to place limits on the entree value or to substantially increase the price of the plan.

I think you have it backwards.
Disney still made a fortune on people maximizing the dining plan.

Like a casino, the dining plan was designed so the house ALWAYS wins.

The savings were all illusory.
instead, they actually got people who might typically just spend $50-60... but now Disney got them to spend $80!

So Disney for an extra $20-30 from the guest. In return, Disney gave them a few more sodas, few desserts and snacks, maybe a glass of wine. The dessert might be priced $8 on the menu... but only costs Disney $1.

Basically.. no matter how much you “maximize” the dining plan, Disney wins. Without the dining plans, guests would mostly spend less on dining, not more. (Without a dining plan, how many people would get dessert and alcohol at every meal??). Without the dining plans, Disney would make less revenue and less profit.

If there is a problem with the dining plan from Disney’s perspective — more people have realized it’s a bad value, so fewer people are buying it.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I so miss the dining plan. We usually get the Deluxe Plan since we enjoy breaking up the day with table serve meals. It really works for us. Today we ate at two table serves (Hollywood Brown Derby and Teppan Edo) and had less than we normally would have on the dining plan. Our total spend today (meals, snacks, and drinks) was $423 for three people $119 a person would have been much cheaper (and more drinks!).

 

[Devil13]

I love the dining plan arguments in here! It's one of my all time favorites! I love being told that I'm getting ripped off and how you save more money by taking the hotel discount or just not eating because it's too expensive anyway.

Before I was an AP member free dining was a HUGE deal. WAY better than a room discount when you have 4 "Adults" in one room at a deluxe. Even paying for it works out for us these days, especially when you consider they added alcohol recently. That $78/Person/Day price is easily TS + QS, so it's like getting the snacks and mugs for free. Trust me, I run the numbers for our family every time. Every time it works out. Every. Time. Really depends on the individuals. What works for you might not work for everyone else.

The house wins when you make the decision to step through the gates. It's all about getting value for you. I don't see how paying more out of pocket for what I would pay by using the dining plan makes any sense. Is it better to pay the dining plan price of $78 for a combination of Be Our Guest lunch, Akershus dinner and 2 snacks at a festival in Epcot or fork over what would amount to about $110 for an average price of those things? Sure if you live off 1 pretzel every day and drink from the water fountains it's probably not for you.
It does work for some people and I have proof.

 

[havoc315]

I love the dining plan arguments in here! It's one of my all time favorites! I love being told that I'm getting ripped off and how you save more money by taking the hotel discount or just not eating because it's too expensive anyway.

Before I was an AP member free dining was a HUGE deal. WAY better than a room discount when you have 4 "Adults" in one room at a deluxe. Even paying for it works out for us these days, especially when you consider they added alcohol recently. That $78/Person/Day price is easily TS + QS, so it's like getting the snacks and mugs for free. Trust me, I run the numbers for our family every time. Every time it works out. Every. Time. Really depends on the individuals. What works for you might not work for everyone else.

The house wins when you make the decision to step through the gates. It's all about getting value for you. I don't see how paying more out of pocket for what I would pay by using the dining plan makes any sense. Is it better to pay the dining plan price of $78 for a combination of Be Our Guest lunch, Akershus dinner and 2 snacks at a festival in Epcot or fork over what would amount to about $110 for an average price of those things? Sure if you live off 1 pretzel every day and drink from the water fountains it's probably not for you.
It does work for some people and I have proof.

It‘a not about whether it can work for some people. It absolutely can.
But OP claimed WDW loses money on it.

Point is —whether it works for your family or not, it works for Disney every time. They make money off the plan every time someone books it, whether they maximize it or not. Much like McDonalds doesn’t lose money on their meal deals.

Best case scenario is when it’s a mutual win— the guest realizes a value while Disney does as well.